Luggage reinforcing machine and method



Dec. 18, 1951 R. H. PLASS 2,579,270

LUGGAGE REINFORCING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed June 26, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 G I I V ITzzrl.

INVENTOR.- ioaser 44 Pass.

. ATTORNE).

R. H. PLASS LUGGAGE REINFORCING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed June 26, 1948 Dec. 18, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTDR/VEX Dec. 18, 1951 R. H. PLAss 2,579,270

LUGGAGE REINFORCING MACHINE AND METHOD I Filed June 26, 1948 a Sheets-Sheet s s .5. 8/ 5 4 TH 73 i 75 77-5 E? 9a 5 J? INVENTOR ,e v Ai'ToRNEY zFbm-wer 6. 1 4/255.

R. H. PLASS LUGGAGE REINFORCING MACHINE AND METHOD Dec. 18, 1951 Filed June v26, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. :905527' 1 4 455.

V/U'TOR/VEX 18, .1951 R. H. PLASS LUGGAGE REINFORCING MACHINE AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 26, 1948 INVENTOR- ATTOR/VFX Dec. 18, 1951 R. H. PLAss 2,579,270

LUGGAGE REINFORCING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed June 26, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 18, 1951 R. H. PLASS 2,579,270

LUGGAGE REINFORCING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed June 26, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 TLEIJE- 5&5 54 55 5/ INVENTOR 53 flaseer A4 P4455.

BY l,

- AQI'TORNEY Pat'ented Dec. 18, 1951 LUGGAGE REIN FORCIN G MACHINE AND METHOD 1 Robert H. Plass, Upper Montclair, N. .L, assignor to The Daisy Products, Inc, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 26, 1948, Serial No. 35,47 6

33 Claims. 1

This invention relates more particularly to a method of and machine for reinforcing luggage, although in some aspects it can be used in connection with the method of manufacture of boxes or containers or parts thereof which require reinforcement in order to impart rigidity to them in whole or in part, and especially when suitably reinforcing luggage to render it practically noncollapsible, even though light in weight.

In the art of luggage manufacture, to which the invention more specifically relates, the invention embodies improvements over the machine disclosed in my previous patent in that art, which is No. l,723 ,072, dated August 6, 1929. The machine disclosed by that patent, while useful in a restricted sense, applies reinforcements to the main bodies of handbags or the like, when they are held on a mandrel. However, such bag bodies must be held by hand upon and manipulated by hand on the mandrel of the machine, as they are of rather greater dimensions than the mandrel, so that they are loose around it, except in the area where they are thus held by hand.

Various objections to that machine are overcome by the present invention, principally in that in reinforcing a bag body or the like, it is fitted by hand upon the mandrel and then held snugly and securely thereon against movement, without the use of the hands of the operator of the machine, preferably by mechanical means while the bag or the like is being reinforced by suitable power means acting on the reinforcement. The reinforcement may be of strong fiber-board or of an other suitably strong material, preferably flexible. 7

Usually, but not necessarily, such bag or the like has a peripheral wall to be reinforced and such wall has a lining, the peripheral wall being composed of any suitable flexible material such, for example, as real leather or artificial leather, and the lining being of thin fabric such as silk, satin, rayon, or the like, and such wall and lining having been previously connected along their opposite running edges so as to provide a pocket between them wherein the reinforcement is to be forcibly and snugly inserted.

Also usually, but not necessarily, there has previously been inserted into such pocket, preferably by hand, a relatively shorter strip of reinforcement than the strip which the machine inserts, inasmuch as such shorter strip, located at the back of the bag, forms apart of the final reinforcement and constitutes a rather desirable medium to be gripped by certain parts of the mach e h e the l er t p s being i ser ed- The various objects and functions of the invention will fully appear herein, the invention comprising the new method and certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be described and then pointed out. in the claims, reference b in h d to t e acc p yin rawmes i lustr t ng ref red odime o the inv ntio and n ic Fig, l is a sectional side elevation partly in b oken l nes an sh w in full lines sh e d. or skirt, which fits the outside of a bag in opera.- tive position and in broken lines in released pos q F 2 is. a re r e e t on in rok ines;

ig. .3 is a front elevation, par-ts in broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a detail section on line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail section on line 55, Fig. 1;

Fig.v 6 is a broken-away detail view in eleva-. tion, looking in the direction indicated by arrow 6 in Fig, 2, and showing the cam-controlled power is. l is a sect on n he in L F 6;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88, Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99, Fig. 3, parts ro en away and pa s i br k n lines, n ho ns h has c am Fig. 19 is an elevation partly in section on the line 5 g- 9;

i Fig. ll is a side elevation of the upper mandrel member and the bag clamp thereon;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of half of the upper man-.- drel memben'partly in section, showing the bag clamp;

Fig. 13 is a section on and 1:

Fig. la is a section with parts in plan View, showing the lower mandrel member fitted with a r nforcin strip and the p she ut to ap ly the reinforcement to the bag;

Fig. 15 is a section similar to F showin the reinforcement as having been completed;

16 is a detail View of the jaw of the pusher;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view to show in general a bag partly reinforced at the back and not enltirely reinforced by the principal reinforcement;

Fig. 18 is a general perspective view to show the bag of Fig. 17 as having been fully reinforced; a

Fig, 19 is an enlarged broken section showing more clearly how a bag is gripped between the lower mandrel member and a platen;

Fig. 20 is similar to Fig. 19, except to show he la n ele line iii-l3, of Figs. 9

member and a lower member 2, corresponding in size with each other, and when the mandrel members are cylindrical, they would both have the same radii, which is the case in the illustration.

The two mandrel members are more especially designed to have snugly fitted thereon by hand the main body of a bag or box of flexible material, which is first fitted over the lower member and then pulled up and fitted also on the upper member.

A tubular shaft 3 is free to turn within the closed top 4 of the upper mandrel member I, such tubular shaft terminating at a, spaced distance away from the closed bottom 5 of the lower mandrel member 2. A vertical centering shaft 6 is rigidly fixed to the machine frame, as later on described, and upon this the tubular shaft is adapted to turn.

The frame of the machine comprises a pedestal or base i which supports a strong upright or standard 8 of channel steel, which has its web 9 nearest the mandrel and its flanges ID extending away from the mandrel. A casting H of general U-shape is secured to the upright 8, and comprises a top member or leg l2, a lower leg l3, and an outer end portion l4 connecting said legs together. The upper leg I2 is provided with a socket l5 into which there is securely keyed and fastened the centering shaft 6 on which the tubular shaft 3 is adapted to turn.

The centering shaft 6 is formed with an enlarged bearing member l6, which is located between the upper and lower legs, l2 and I3 respectively, of the top member and is for a purpose explained hereinafter. Depending from the leg I3 is a bearing sleeve I1 within which the tubular shaft 3 is adapted to turn, said sleeve being provided with a flange |B through which pass set screws I9 which enter the top 4 of the upper mandrel member to support said member.

Depending from the flange l8 and passing through the top 4 is a bearing sleeve 20, also for tubular shaft'3, which terminates a short distance below the upper mandrel member Fixed to the lower end of the tubular shaft 3 is an arm 2| which is located between the spaced apart upper and lower members of the mandrel to permit the arm to perform its function of applying reinforcements as hereinafter described. The centering shaft 6 extends a distance below the tubular shaft 3, and thereon is positioned a weight member 22 having a hub 23 in which the shaft 6 loosely flts. Set screws 24 pass through the weight member 22 and are screwed to the bottom 5 of the lower mandrel member 2. In this connection reference can also be had to Figs. 19 and 20 which more clearly show the parts just referred to.

Now referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 9 to 13 inclusive, the upper mandrel member is provided with an outer peripheral wall 25 and an inner wall 26. The two walls 25 and 25 are respectively provided with inwardly bent upper edges, 21 and 28 respectively, through which pass fastenings 29, that also pass through the top 4 of the upper mandrel member, from which the walls 25, 26 depend. Said walls are spaced apart a slight distance and provide a track 33 extending around the mandrel top 4.

The lower mandrel member 2, as shown best in Figs. 10, 14, 15, 19 and 20, has an outer wall 3| with an inwardly extending bottom flange 3 la and the said member also has an inner wall 32 with an inwardly extending flange 32a. These flanges, ale and 320., are in contact with the closed bottom 5, and through said flanges and said bottom there pass set screws 33. Said setscrews also pass into a flat ring 35 constituting a gripping member, the outer periphery of which corresponds with the outer peripheral wall 3| of the lower mandrel member.

It willwbe seen that the outer wall at and the inner wall 32 of the lower mandrel member are also spaced apart for a relatively slight distance so as to provide a track 34 which corresponds and coincides with the track 30 located in the upper mandrel member. The tracks referred to are for the purpose of guiding the flexible reinforcing strip as stated later on herein.

Figs. 3 and 8 illustrate mechanism cooperating with mandrel members I and 2, for the purpose of securing the main body of a bag or box to the mandrel. A bracket 36 is secured rigidly by set screws 3'! to the web 9 of the upright 8 and is provided with a grooved guide 38 for receiving a toothed rack 39 adapted to be raised and lowered by means of a gear 40. Said gear is located on a shaft 4! which is journaled in bearings 42, 42 on bracket 36. A collar 43 fixed on shaft 4| holds gear 413 against bearing 42 so as to mesh with the toothed rack 39 which is guided in the grooved guide 38. Keepers 44, 44 are secured to the guide member 33 and overlap the rack 39 to hold it in position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, upon the outer end of the shaft 4| there is fixed a large hand wheel 45 for the purpose of rotating said shaft, to raise or lower the rack 39, said wheel being provided with a square hub 46 rigidly secured to shaft 4|. A toothed pawl or detent 4'! is mounted on a pivot 48 which has bearing on the grooved guide 38, and that is provided with a finger piece 49 adapted to raise or lower the detent 41, which engages with a ratchet wheel 50 fixed on shaft 4|.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 10, 19 and 20, there is mounted on the upper end of the rack 39 an armed carrier member 5| which is also shown in broken lines in Fig. 9. The arms of the carrier member are provided at their outer ends with sockets 52 through which pass posts 53 secured to the carrier member and rigidly secured to a platen or platform 54. As the posts 53 have a slight movement in the sockets 52, cushioning springs are positioned in the said sockets for the purpose of cushioning the platen 54. The platen 54 extends out a little from the lower mandrel member, and when the mandrel members are cylindrical, the edge of the platen 54 extends around it at a greater radius.

When the platen 54 is elevated, it presses the bottom of a bag body against the ring 35, or some abutment means on the lower mandrel member 2, and the platen then holds, the bag bottom against shifting, as is demonstrated more clearly amaze-o.

in Figs. 19 and 20 and will again be referred to hereinafter.

' In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9-12 inclusive, and 19 and 20, it will be seen that to the edge of the laten 54 there is affixed an upwardly extending wall or skirt 56 which runs about halfway around the platen, fastenings 51 constituting the means for securing such wall 56. Said wall is also illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15, to be fully described hereinafter. This wall 59 is of a height to oppose the outer walls 25 and 9|, respectively, of the mandrel members I and 2 when the platen 54 is raised, and when said walls are cylindrical as shown, the wall 59 is curved lengthwise, as shown, on a radius somewhat greater than the radii of walls 25 and 3|, sufficiently to oppose the peripheral wall of a bag body fitted onthe mandrel.

The upper edge of the wall or skirt 59 is flared t0 form a lip 58 for the purpose of preventing said wall from causing damage to the surface of a ba body when the platen is being raised.

The mechanism for transmitting power to the arm 2| which applies reinforcement to a bag or other article, will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 to'l, inclusive. An electric or other motor 59 is located on the base i, and over its pulley is trained a belt 99 which passes over a pulley 9| rigidly secured to a shaft 62 at some distance above the motor. A loose pulley 63 is also mounted on shaft 92. The casing 94 in which shaft 62 is journaled contains any suitable well-known speed-reducing gearing 95 which hardly needs to be detailed. A counter shaft 99, also journaled in casing 64 is driven by the speedreducing gearing, said casing being mounted on a bracket 61 secured by bolts 98 to upright 8. A support 69 for the counter shaft 68 is secured by bolts I9 also to upright 8.

A pinion II on counter shaft 59 meshes with a large slow gear I2 which turns on a journal pin 7:!

I3 fixed to the web 9 of upright B. As shown more clearly in Fig. 5, a guideway M extends radially upon the outer surface of large gearwheel I2.

The guideway I4 is provided by means of an element having an eye I5, fixed over the pin I3 and provided with parallel ways 16, IT, the said ways being formed at their ends with outwardly extending lugs 19, I8 which are secured to the gear I2 by means of set screws T9. The ways or tracks I6, 11 are undercut to provide an undercut groove 89.

Extending upwardly there is a toothed rack 8I, the lower end of which is fixed to an extension 82 in which is mounted a stem 89 having a head 84, which engages in the undercut groove 99 and which is adapted to travel therein when the gear I2 rotates.

Referring to Fig. 4 particularly, a pinion 85 is fixed on a transverse rotary shaft 89 which is journaled in a bearing member 81 passing through and fixed to web 9 of the upright 8. Said pinion is of a length at least twice the width of the rack 8|. There is swiveled upon the shaft 89 a guidepiece 88 having a groove 89 in which the rack 8| is adapted to slide, said rack being confined on the guidepiece by a keeper 99. Upon the shaft 86 there is fixed an adjustable collar EU, for the purpose to be described hereinafter.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and '7, they disclose mechanism for shifting the driving belt from the fast pulley to the loose one.

The large gear I2 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow at the right of Fig. 2 and is provided with a cam 92 which projects from a 6'. sleeve 93 fixed on the hub 94 of gear I2. This cam operates when gear I2 has made one com- .plete revolution. A projection 95 extends from a rock shaft 99, journaled in brackets'9'I, which are fixed to the flanges I9 of upright 8.

The web 9 of the upright is provided with an 9 opening 98 through which the projection 95 extends inwardly in a position to be engaged by the cam 92. A helical torsion spring 99 surrounds the rock shaft 99 and the ends thereof are respectively engaged with one of the brackets 91 and with the projection 95. Said cam places spring 99 under tension when moving the projection 95 and the spring returns the projection to normal position for subsequent operation by the cam. Extending from one end of rock shaft 96 there is a lever I99 which is provided with a projecting pin I9I. The projection 95, spring 99 and the lever I99 form what will be characterized as tripping means.

Means for shifting the driving belt from the fast pulley onto the loose pulley comprise a slide I92 having an upward projection I93 adapted to be engaged by the tripping pin I9I. This slide is mounted on a supporting plate I 94 fixed on bracket 87. Cheek plates I95 and I96, located at opposite sides of the slide I92, are fixed to the supporting plate I99. The slide I92 is provided with a pair of studs I91 which provide a throat through which the belt 99 passes.- A pair of spaced stops I98, I99 on that end of the slide which has the projection I93, restrict the sliding movement of said slide by striking the abutments formed by the cheek plates I95, I99 at that end of the slide.

Again referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the shaft 89 on which the adjustable collar 9| previously-mentioned is located, also is provided with a bevel pinion I I9 adjacent said collar and another bevel pinion I I I, these pinions being adapted to engage with the toothed bevel gear I12. Gear H2 is fixed on the rotary tubular shaft 3 at a point below the bearing member I9 through which the shaft 89 passes. A hand lever H3 is pivoted to a bracket II4 located on the casting II while shaft 86 is provided with a stud II5 so engaged with the lower end of the hand lever II3 that said shaft may rotate. There is a downward lug H9 on the bracket H4 which is provided with a pair of holes IIl adapted to receive a removable locking pin I I8.

Now referring to Figs. 9, 11,12 and 13, there is illustrated the preferred means for strongly securing the periphery of a bag body to'the upper mandrel member I, and such means as a whole is preferably omitted from other illustrations to avoid possible confusion.

An arm -I I9 is mounted so as to fulcrum on a journal pin I29 which is stationary, inasmuch as p it is rigidly fixed to the top 4 of the upper. man.- drel member. Said arm is provided at its outer end with a downward jaw I2I and also carries a pivot pin I22 for a hand lever I23 which is provided with a sleeve I29 journaled on pin I22. Extending laterally from sleeve I24 is a lug I25 so that the handle I 23 and the said lug constitute an angular member or bell-crank. A pivot pin I29 is mounted in the lug I25 and supports a link I21.

Link I2? is provided with a longitudinal slot I28 at its inner end, which slot receives a fixed guide pin I29 which is located on the flange I8 previously referred to. A lug I98 on the outer end of link I2'I receives an adjustable stem I3I which is carried at the outer end of a helical tension spring I32. A nut I33 is screwed onto the stem |3| for the purpose of providing adjustment of the tension of spring I32, whose inner end is anchored to the guide pin I29. panion jaw I3-l.to jaw |2I is rigidly secured to the top of the upper mandrel member and extends down outside of the wall 25 of said member.

The operation of the clamping means is as follows: Referring to Fig. 12, the clamping means is out of action, while in Fig. 9 it is shown in clamping position. Upon pressing the handle I23 towards the mandrel to the position shown in Fig. 9, the arm H9 is moved so as to move the jaw I'2I towards the periphery of a bag body secured upon the mandrel, while at the same time the link I2? is operated, which places tension upon the spring I32, when the axis of pivot I26 has been moved past a line intersecting the axes of pivots I22 and I29, which line may be said to correspond with the line defined by section line I3-|3. Such imaginary line also intersects the axis of the vertical shaft 6. When the axis of pin I26 has passed such imaginary line, the spring I32 exerts strong pressure upon the arm 9 having jaw I2I, causing said jaw to strongly clamp the intervening local portion of the bag against the companion jaw I34.

' Before the machine is operated, however, the adjustment of the main reinforcement in the bag to its first position, and thereafter the positioning of'the bag body on the mandrel and the securing of the same on the mandrel must be accomplished.

First, the positioning of the bag body and its securement will be explained. The bag body is shown only in a general way in Fig. 14 as having had previously inserted between the outer periphery A thereof, or peripheral band or web, and the lining or 'web B a relatively short strip of reinforcing material C which usually stiffens the back portion of the bag. The sections in Figs. 19 and 20 do not pass through C. Strip C is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1'7 and is not present in Fig. 20 as well as in Fig. 19. Beyond the area thus stifiened the material of which the bag is composed is illustrated as limp or unstiifened in the area D, Fig. 17. In Figs. 14 and are also shown the elements A, B and C of the bag.

In Fig. 20, as alsoin Fig. 19, there is shown the outer covering E and the lining F of the side wall or bottom of the bag, which are to remain as they are. However, the edges of covering E and lining F are bound by a thick seam or binding G with the edges of the peripheral covering A and lining B. Binding G is exaggerated in the illustration for the sake of clarity. Such bag construction need not be further described as it is well known, so that in describing the machine illustrated it is to be understood that such a bag body as explained is the preferred article to be reinforced.

To prepare for the operation of the machine after the principal reinforcement has been positioned in the bag as hereinafter described, the main body of the bag is fitted on the mandrel by the operator by pulling its peripheral wall over the lower mandrel member 2 and then pulling it onto the upper mandrel member I, until the binding or seam G of said body is against the ring 35 of mandrel member 2 as shown in Fig. 19. The fit is snug and the side wall is taut.

Having snugly fitted the bag body onto the mandrel, the operator can turn the hand wheel 45 clockwise to move the rack 39 and platen 54 A com- 1 toward the mandrel from the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, and shown in Fig. 20, to that shown in full lines in Figs. .1, l0 and 19. Then the platen 54 has pressed the binding or seam G of the bag against the ring 35 of the mandrel member 2 so as to hold the seam and the bag wall E, F against shifting. At the same time the skirt or wall 56 on the platen would be moved thereby opposite to the mandrel in an area opposite to where a portion of the bag was pre-stiiffened.

When the bag body has been confined upon the mandrel by the platen 54 and its skirt or wall 56, the operator then moves the handle I23 of the bag clamping means from the open position shown in Fig. 12 to the closed position shown in Fig. 9, thereby, as previously explained, bringing the tension spring I32 into action to strongly press a local portion of the pre-stiffened area of the bag between the clamping jaw I2| and its stationary companion jaw I34. In this way the periphery of the bag is held against shifting on the mandrel.

After the principal reinforcement has been adjusted in the mandrel the motor 59 is started, with the driving belt 56 on the fast pulley 6|, thereby rotating large gear 12 at much reduced speed. As shown in Fig. l, the elongated pinion 85 is in mesh with rack 8| at its outermost half and the adjustable collar 9| on shaft 85 abuts a boss 9Ia on the casting I I so that such shaft and pinion are fixed at the position determined by collar 9| and at the same time the bevel pinion I III is in mesh with bevel gear I I2.

When the shaft 86 is to be shifted by hand lever H3 to mesh pinion III with gear N2, the collar 9| is loosened and again set in abutment with boss 9|a, which also shifts elongated pinion 85 to mesh with the rack 8| at its innermost half.

The latter position is not shown, but it is possible when the machine rotates the pusher 2| in the mandrel in opposite direction to that to be stated herein, in which case an outer wall 3| at the right of Fig. 14 is used together with an inner wall (not shown) to form a track, and clamping means such as was described herein will be mounted on the upper mandrel member adjacent a gap I36, therein corresponding to gap I31, adjoining which latter the clamping means is shown as located on the said mandrel member. Gap or opening I31 is shown in Figs. 1, 3, 11, 14, 15, and there is a corresponding gap or opening I3'Ia in mandrel member 2.

As shown in Fig. 16, the operative end of the pusher 2| has a jaw I38, the outward tooth of which has an inside bevel or slant I39 to facilitate the entering of the end of strip H into the jaw. This is desirable for although the strip I-I, preferably made of fiber board, is flexible, it is yet stiff enough not to readily enter the jaw I38 un-' less its end is deflected thereinto.

Before the machine is operated, the bag to be reinforced must be made ready with a strip H, preferabl of fiber board, which is adjusted in the bag and manipulated while the bag is loose on the mandrel. The strip H is of a greater length than the pre-inserted stiffening strip C and is of a width approximating the distance between the mandrel walls 4 and 5. To prepare to do the reinforcing before starting the operation of the machine, it is believed that this can be done in more ways than one. However, the preferred steps will be described.

First, the strip H is placed in the bag and one end is inserted through the pocket I for a relatively short distance by handsometimes a little more and .sometimes a little less, depending upon the strength of the manipulator, the strip taking aourved shape just inside the area where the bag is pre-stifiened, if the bag is cylindrical, for at least it is shown as so shaped. The inserted end may be trimmed smaller to facilitate its entering pocket I.

Now place the bag and strip H on the mandrel so that the opposite free end thereof will be located at the gaps or openings I37, IBlIa, shown in Fig. 3, by pulling the bag up onto the mandrel. This will register the transverse edge of that end with the tracks 30, 34, which are shown in Fig. 10. Next, the bag is shifted or twisted around the mandrel to advance the strip H in said tracks toward the pusher 2| until the pocket I cannot go any further in that direction, as shown in Fig. 14.

Now, the clamp jaw i 2I is operated to grip the bag at the pre-stiffened part shown in Fig. 14, and the machine is ready to operate on the pusher 2I after the platen and its skirt 56 are raised. The pusher advances short of the pocket I, as shown in Fig. 15, which allows enough of strip H projecting out of the pocket to more than match the overlap between the advanced end of said strip and the further end of strip 0. The end portion of the strip H which is engaged by the pusher is usually of such length as to permit of some mutilation by the pusher, and trimming down to the desired amount,.after the bag has been removed from the mandrel, to fashion the pusher-engaged end for overlap with the adjacent end of the strip C. Last, the bag is buckled or bent inwardly at such trimmed end of strip H so as to enter it under the bag lining and lap it over strip C.

In the operation of the machine the rotation of bevel gear H2, as previously referred to, turns the tubular shaft 3 in the mandrel and rotates the pusher ZI in the direction indicated by the arrow, from the position shown in Figs. 9 and 14 to that shown in Fig. 15, with the result that the reinforcing strip H is pushed along the tracks provided and fully inserted between the peripheral band A and lining B to reinforce the limp portion D of the bag body, indicated in Figs. 14 and 17, and fill out the body as shown in Figs. 15 and 18. In doing so the reinforcing strip H is pushed between the skirt or wall 55 on platen d and those portions of the outer walls of the mandrel which are adjacent such skirt. The skirt or wall 55 constitutes a guard to prevent the relatively strong reinforcing strip H from objectionably pushing outwardly and possibly damaging the outer peripheral covering or wall A of the bag body while keeping said covering under control.

When the rack 8I has reached the outward limit of its travelling movement the pusher 2 I. has also reached the end of its pushing movement and, although the gear '12 continues its rotation in the same direction as when the strip H is being pushed, the pusher is retracted to its starting position, while when it reaches such position the V .cam 92 acts upon the projection 85 of the tripping means to release it from its tension and'to cause the latter to act on andmove the belt shifter I02 to normal position and in turn to shift'the belt from the fast pulley 6! onto the .loose pulley 63, thereby bringing the mechanism operated by the fast pulley to rest. The motor can now be shut off if desired and the machine prepared toreinforce another bag body.

A modification of the machine is illustrated in V Figs. 21, 22 and 23, wherein the platen or platform I48, the rotary tubular shaft MI and the weight member I 42 remain the same as before. Theupper mandrel member previously used simply remains idle. The construction shown is adapted to apply a reinforcing strip of fiber board between the peripheral outer material and the lining of a cover for the described bag body, which cover has similar material and. a lining extending throughout the area surrounded by the peripheral material. In this case a reinforcing strip is employed which is narrow, yet wide enough to render the peripheral material and its lining taut when fully inserted between it and the lining, and the strip used can be long enough to fully extend around the circumference of the cover and to somewhat overlap at its ends.

In this modification the pusher I43 is the same as the other one except that it needs no jaw, as there is secured to outer end anelongated element Md which extends from the pusher as a downward finger MB. A mandrel I45 of less depth than the lower mandrel member previously described takes the place of the latter, and the platen I to grips the fiat side of the cover only around the edge portion thereof. Such mandrel I46 is of slightly greater diameter than the previously described lower mandrel member.

Mandrel Iii comprises outer and inner walls I41 and I48, respectively, to form a track between them of about the length. previously described, while around the other half of the mandrel there extends only the outer wall I41. The pusher finger M5 is entered between the walls I41, I48, to engage and push the reinforcing strip which is to be first adjusted in the track.

A turn table or plate I49 is provided with a notch I59, through which the pusher finger I45 extends. The said table is so supported as to turn close to the edges [5| and I52 respectively of the walls It! and I48, and is of annular shape provided with re-bent legs I53 having inwardly projecting lips I 54, which bear on the closed bottom I55 of the mandrel supporting the walls I4! and I48.

Before operating this modified machine the bag cover is snugly placed upon the mandrel MB and the reinforcing strip is placed in the track defined by the walls I41 and I48 While the turn table I49 is held upward and the platen I59 and the mandrel I41 are in lowered position. Also, the advance end of the reinforcing strip is inserted into a pocket in the lining of the periphery of the cover such as previously described, and

its opposite end within the track is adjusted to eventually contact with pusher finger I45 when the mandrel is in raised position.

Now, when the platen and the mandrel are moved upwardly by the elevating mechanism previously described, the mandrel will be brought into operative relation to the turn table which had been held upwardly, the presser finger will be caused to enter between the walls I41, I48, and the surrounding seam of the bag cover will be gripped, against shifting, between the edge portions of the platen and the bottom of the mandrel. Also, when the mandrel has been raised, the lips I54 of the turn table will be engaged in a circumferential groove I56 in the Weight member I42, thus holding the turntable down while the lips travel in said groove. Thereby the reinforcing strip is held down.

The motor can now be started so as to cause the 11 pusher I43 to force the reinforcing strip in between the peripheral material of the cover and the lining thereof for a distance of about half the circumference of the bag cover. That being accomplished, the pusher will have returned to its original position, with the operating mechanism brought to rest. If the platen pressure is eased, the mandrel with the bag cover thereon turned around by hand until that length of the strip which has not been inserted contacts with the presser finger 545, and the platen pressure resumed, the driving belt of the motor can be quickly moved back onto the fast pulley, which will again cause the pusher M3 to advance the reinforcing strip into the remaining half of the bag cover sufficiently to cause a short overlap of the ends of the strip. The pusher having returned to its normal starting position, the mechanism will be brought to rest, so that the reinforced bag cover can now be removed in an obvious manner.

As in some of the claims on the machine itself the term walls is used, it is stated that such term is intended to characterize the track defining fianges of the mandrels and the skirt of the platen or the equivalents as walls.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and additions can be made in the described machines, without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

l. A machine of the class described, including a supporting frame, a mandrel mounted on the frame for receiving an enclosing member of a bag or box of flexible material'having a side wall and a peripheral wall provided with a lining, such mandrel adapted to have the enclosing member snugly fitted on the periphery thereof, with the side wall against another surface of the mandrel, means mechanical on the mandrel for securing the enclosing member against shifting with respect to the mandrel, such means located at a spaced distance from said other surface of the mandrel and adjacent to the opening for the cover of the enclosing member, and means for forcibly pushing a strip of flexible reinforcement in between the lining and the peripheral wall for substantially the entire length of such strip while the enclosing member is thus secured.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the securing means includes a clamping element on the mandrel operable against a pre-stiffened portion of the enclosing member of the bag backed up by an abutment on the mandrel.

3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the securing means includes a clamping element on the mandrel, a spring adapted to press the clamping element into securing position, and operating means adapted to cause the spring to act and to overcome the spring action.

4. A machine of the class described, including a supporting frame, a mandrel mounted on the frame for receiving an enclosing member of a bag or box having a flexible side wall and a flexible peripheral wall, each wall provided with a lining, and the mandrel adapted to have the enclosing member snugly fitted thereon, a platen cooperating with the mandrel to hold the side wall against the mandrel, operating means to move the platen to holding position and in the opposite direction, and means for forcing a strip of flexible reinforcement between the peripheral wall and the lining, whereby to reinforce the enclosing member.

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein the platen operating means includes a rackbar extending from the approximate center of the platen, and a rotatable gear meshing with the rack bar.

6. A machine according to claim 4, wherein the platen operating means includes geared elements, a pawl and ratchet device to control such elements, power means to positively move the ratchet and geared elements, and means to release the pawl from the ratchet and permit the platen to move away from the mandrel.

'7. A machine according to claim 4, wherein cushioning means are interposed between the platen and the operating means thereof.

8. A machine of the class described, including a mandrel onto which an enclosing member of a bag or box having a lining may be snugly fitted, and means for forcing a strip of reinforcement between the enclosing member and lining com prising a strip-feeding rotary element, gearing operable on the rotary element to feed the reinforcement the required amount, power means to operate the gearing such amount, and means controlled by the power means to automatically return the forcing means to position for operation on a reinforcement for a succeeding enclosing member to be fitted on the mandrel.

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein the gearing includes a toothed rack bar, and the means controlled by the power means automatically acts to return the forcing means and the rack bar to position for applying a succeeding reinforcement to another enclosing member.

10. A machine according to claim 8, wherein the gearing includes a toothed rack bar, and the means controlled by the power means automatically acts to return the forcing means and the rack bar to position for applying a succeeding reinforcement to another enclosing member, the power-controlled means comprising a cam-controlled device to idle the rack bar at the end of its reinforcement applying and return movements;

11. A machine of the class described, including a mandrel onto which an enclosing member of a bag or box having a lining may be snugly fitted, the mandrel having a vertical axis, a horizontal arm in the mandrel rotatable about such axis, and adapted to force a strip of reinforcement between the enclosing member and lining, gearing operable on the rotary arm to feed the reinforcement the required amount, the gearing comprising an upwardly extending toothed rack bar,

power means to operate the gearing and raise the rack bar such amount, and means controlled by the power means to automatically discontinue the raising of the rack bar, and to cause the bar to return to lowered position, thereby returning the rotary arm to position for applying another reinforcement between the enclosing member and lining.

12. A machine according to claim 11, including also a vertically movable platen, and means to move the platen to and from the mandrel, the platen adapted to cooperate with the mandrel to secure a side of the enclosing member, and the platen provided with a peripheral wall for opposing the mandrel, between which wall and the mandrel the enclosing member and lining are confined during the reinforcement.

13. A machine of the class described, including a mandrel consisting of two members having spaced-apart mutually presented rims of substanmoraine 13 tially equal radii around an axis in commonwith the two members, and the members hav'inginner tracks defined by the rims and by inner "rims of substantially equal radii around,-zsuch common axis, the spaced-apart members adapted to have snugly fitted therearound the body of a bag or box havinga flexible covering with a lining in the peripheral wall of the covering, and having a side wall within the peripheral wall, movable means adapted to secure such side wall against an outer surface of one of the members which surface is transverse of such common axis, a pusher between the two members and movable about the common axis, and power means'leading through the other one of the members to the pusher, the pusher adapted to force a stripofreinforcement along the tracks and between the peripheral wall of the bag or box body and the lining thereof.

14. A machine according to claim 13, including clamping means located onsuch other one of the mandrel members adapted to positively secure the bag or box body against shifting by engaging a loca'larea previously stiffened.

15. A machine according to claim 13, wherein the movable securing means is provided with a wall for closely opposing the two mandrel members and the periphery of the bag or box body fitted thereon.

16. A machine according to claim 13, including clamping means located on such other one of the mandrel members and adapted to positively secure the bag or 'box body in a local area against shifting, and a tension spring for acting on a movable clamping portion of the clamping means.

17. A machine according to claim 13, wherein the power means includes gearing comprising a bar movable longitudinally by one of the gears and extending in the same general direction as the common axis, and acting on another of the gears to deliver power to the pusher.

18. A machine of the class described, including means for snugly and securely holding the flexible body of a bag or box at the side wall thereof and around a lined periphery thereof, power means,

a forcing member operable thereby for inserting a strip of reinforcement between such periphery and the lining, the power means comprising a belt shifter, a fast pulley and a loose pulley, a drive shaft from the fast pulley, a system of. gearing leading from the shaft to the forcing member, a

shifting element operable on the belt shifter, and means operated by one of the gears to trip the shifting element, such shifting element adapted to move the belt shifter to thereby transfer the belt from the fast pulley to the loose pulley when the insertion of the reinforcement has been completed by the forcing member.

19. A machine according to claim 18, wherein the tripping means includes a cam located on the side of the one gear specified.

20. A machine according to claim 18, including a pair of stops upon the belt shifter and an abutment between the stops to restrict the extent of movement of the belt shifter.

21. A machine according to claim 18, wherein the shifting element is provided by a pivoted member mounted to one side of the one gear specified.

22. A machine according to claim 18, including a rock shaft on which the shifting element is mounted, and a spring acting on the rock shaft to return theshifting element to normal position after the tripping means has operated.

23. A machine of the classdescribed, including means :for snugly and securely holding afflexible enclosing member of a bag or box at fa side wall thereof and around a lined periphery thereof, a forcing member for inserting a'strip of reinforce,- ment between such periphery and the lining, a motor operable to cause the forcing member to complete the insertion, means having the double function of transmitting the power of the motor to the forcing member and to idle such member, means for throwing the motor out of action upon the forcing member after the insertion 'of the reinforcement has been completed, and tripping means operated by the means having the func tion of throwing the motor out of action upon the forcing member, :such tripping .means'so acting upon the motor throwing out means as to out off the power of the motor exerted uponthe forcing member.

24. A machine of the class described, including a mandrel upon'which the body of a bag or box of flexible material may be fitted, "the lined periphery of the body around the mandrel and the side wall of the body against a side surface of the mandrel, means for inserting a principal strip of reinforcement between the peripheryof the body and the lining, between which the 'body has been partially reinforced, a clamping jaw for pressing against the partially reinforced portion of the body, an arm pivoted upon another side surface of the mandrel and provided with such jaw, manually operable means for moving the arm of the jaw to bring the jaw into contact with the partially reinforced portion, and a spring acting on the arm and adapted to strongly press the jaw upon the partially reinforced portion when the principal reinforcement is to be 'in 'serted in the bag or box body.

25. A machine according to claim '24, wherein the manual means resides in an angular member pivoted to the jaw arm at its elbow, one end of the angular member forming a handle, and including a slotted link to which the other 'end of the angular member is pivoted, a pin on the mandrel entering the slot, and the spring acting to shift the link and to strongly press the jaw upon the partially reinforced portion when the pivot of such other end of the angular member has been moved beyond a line intersecting such pin and the pivot of the aforesaid arm on the mandrel.

'26. A machine according to claim 24, wherein the manual means resides in an angular member pivoted to the jaw arm at its elbow, one end of the angular member forming a handle, and including a slotted link to which the other end of the angular member is pivoted, a pin on the mandrel entering the slot, and the spring acting to shift the link and to strongly press the jaw upon the partially reinforced portion when the pivot of such other end of the angular member has been moved beyond a line intersecting such pin and the pivot of the aforesaid arm on the mandrel, the spring anchored at one end to the pin in the slot of the link and provided at the other end, which acts on the link, with means whereby its tension may be regulated.

27. A machine of the class described, comprising two materials securing members with separate coacting walls, at least one of the walls movable, means for placing the walls in mutually facing opposition to snugly hold and confine between them an article having two fabricated webs of yieldable material, and, power operated means including a forcing element adapted to forcibly insert a reinforcement between the two confined Webs of yieldable material, whereby to stiffen and strengthen the article.

28. A machine of the class described, comprising a movable platen, two opposed outer and inner stationary walls thereon adapted to guide a. strip of reinforcement between them, the inner wall serving to have an article to be reinforced snugly fitted thereon for substantially the distance around it and the outer wall serving for securing such article thereupon having two fabricated webs of yieldable material, and power operated means including a forcing element adapted to forcibly insert such guided reinforcement between the two webs of yieldable material, and the platen and the walls movable to cooperative relation with the power means, whereby to stiffen and strengthen the article.

29. A machine according to claim 28, including'a movable wall to oppose the outer stationary wall and snugly secure and confine the article between them.

30. A machine of the class described, including a mandrel having an outer rim and an inner rim, the rims spaced apart to provide a track between them, the outer rim forming a continuous periphery of the mandrel, and the mandrel being hollow within the rims and having a side member extending over the area within one of the boundaries of the periphery, such mandrel adapted to receive the rimmed fiat cover of a bag or box having a lining around the inner surface of the cover rim, the lined rim adapted to be snugly fitted around the periphery of the mandrel, with the flat portion of the cover fitted against the side member of the mandrel, means for pressing the flat portion against such side member, and power operated means for inserting a strip of reinforcement, guided in the track, between the cover rim and lining, the inserting means comprising a rotary pusher arm provided at" its outer end with a laterally extending finger entered in the track to engage the reinforcement therein.

31. A machine according to claim 30, including a turn-table within the mandrel and also overlapping the edge of the mandrel adjacent the pusher arm, the pusher finger engaged with the turn-table, and means within the mandrel for centering and guiding the turn-table.

32. A machine of the class described, comprising a hollow mandrel on which a bag or box body having a surrounding wall provided with a lining is adapted to be snugly and firmly secured, the lining having an open pocket into which one end of a body reinforcing strip may be inserted by hand, means for positioning and guiding the strip around within the mandrel when such body is secured on the mandrel, and a pusher in the mandrel adapted to engage the other end of the strip to advance the aforesaid one end of the strip and to push the strip through the pocket and between the surrounding wall and lining, the pusher provided with operating means to cause the same to force the strip forwardly, and a shield wall closely adjacent to that portion of the mandrel whereto the strip is to be forced between the mandrel and wall, the shield wall restraining the tendency of the strip to push outwardly against the bag or box body.

33. A machine of the class described, comprising a hollow mandrel on which a bag or box body having a surrounding wall provided with a lining is adapted to be snugly and firmly secured, the entire wall adapted to be snugly fitted-on the mandrel and the lining having an open pocket, means for positioning a body reinforcing strip around within the mandrel and to register one end of the strip with the pocket, such strip having a tendency to straighten outwardly in the mandrel, a pusher in the mandrel adapted to engage the other end of the strip to advance the aforesaid one end of the strip, after the body has been shifted around the mandrel towards the positioning means to cause such one end of the strip to enter the pocket, the pusher provided with operating means to cause the same to force the strip through the pocket and between the surrounding wall and lining, and a shield wall closely adjacent to that portion of the mandrel whereto the strip is to be forced between the mandrel and wall, the shield wall restraining the tendency of the strip to push outwardly towards the bag or box body.

ROBERT H. PLASS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Plass Aug. 6, 1929 Number 

